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Nestled in the heart of the community in Poyntzpass is Rice’s Hotel. Established in 1798 when the village was a bustling hub of markets and fairs, Rice’s Hotel was then one of 4 busy hotels frequented by passing business people. Fast forward to 2022 and they still get asked if they have rooms available for an overnight stay. Today, it’s a busy Pub & Restaurant featuring a mix of traditional and modern dishes, plus a host of seasonal specials.
Brothers Gavin and Ronan Walsh took over the reins of this popular establishment in 2007 and this year celebrate 15 years in business. Having worked across the globe and in several local businesses perfecting their trade, the brothers decided in 2006 that it was time to start their own business. With Gavin’s experience of managing high profile bars and Ronan’s experience running well renowned kitchens the pair were perfectly placed to go out on their own.
Luckily, they came across Rice’s Hotel and knew that it was exactly the type of building, location and community that suited their vision. Co-Founder Gavin Walsh says of the time “We have very fond memories of the early days in Poyntzpass. We were still settling in, increasing our staffing levels while working crazy hours ourselves, but it was worth it. The atmosphere in the place was just brilliant, the customers were loving the food, having great craic and responding well to the service from the front of house team. It was a dream come true for Ronan and I, to think that we were creating this as a team was phenomenal.
We are extremely proud to say that many of our regular customers, many local, but some not so local, are coming to us from the beginning. We’ve seen their families grow up, grandchildren being born, generations of families attending our monthly quiz night, it’s very rewarding. It’s been a tough couple of years for hospitality businesses, but our loyal customer base has supported us immensely through this time and for that we are forever grateful.”
Ronan Walsh, Co-Founder added, “We wouldn’t be celebrating this wonderful milestone without our team either, some of whom have been with us since the early days. We have a team of highly skilled, dedicated and extremely loyal people. They work exceptionally hard every day to deliver excellent quality food and service in a very busy environment. When you work side by side with your team on a daily basis you become very close, and we’re lucky that we have a great bunch of people by our sides.”
Rice’s Hotel is open Tuesdays – Sundays from noon for food, drinks, private parties and corporate hire.
For further information about Rice’s Hotel please log onto riceshotel.com
